Wow! So much has happened since we were last together. I took an unexpected drive to California. And I do mean unexpected. I was supposed to be on an early morning flight with Delta on the day of the CrowdStrike meltdown. That flight was canceled as we arrived at the airport, as was the next day’s flight we were rebooked on. At least we didn’t need to drive to the airport and back to figure that one out; it was canceled by 3 am.
It was at that point, wide awake at 3 am on a Saturday and trying to make big decisions, that we chose to do something we might not have considered otherwise: drive straight through from the Minneapolis suburbs to Eureka, California. Google Maps told us it was a 31-hour trip, while Apple Maps said 30 hours. So we said, “Fuck it! We like a road trip,” and took Delta up on their offer of refunded tickets.
About 1 am Sunday morning, we crossed into Nevada on I-80 and started regretting our decision. The only other things on the road were tired truckers and swerving semis. It was then, with my wife and nephew asleep in the car, that the song "Hotel California" started running through my head—especially the part that goes, "My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim. I had to stop for the night."
It turned out both my wife and I, taking turns driving and sleeping, had hit a wall at the same time. Thank goodness for Flying J parking lots. After a solid two hours of sleep, we were back on the road. We made it to Eureka just in time for hotel check-in and made good use of the beds. Might have been the most comfortable beds I’d slept in for a long time—at least for the first night there.
On the way back, we were smart enough to spend the night in a hotel halfway home. That was much nicer.
So, now that you’ve heard my story, let’s jump over to tonight’s whiskey: Knob Creek 10 Year Rye. It’s, you guessed it, a ten-year-old version of Knob Creek Rye. The base product now carries a seven-year-old age statement. I’d had the seven-year previously. It’s good, but when I saw this on the shelf, well, it was in the cart before I even noticed the price. I mean, I like Knob Creek Rye. Why wouldn’t an older version be better?
Knob Creek 10 Year Rye Whiskey
Purchase info: $71.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN
Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.80
Details: 50% ABV.
Nose: Spearmint, oak, and cherry Cola.
Mouth: Cinnamon, cedar, spearmint, and oak.
Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Notes of cinnamon, cedar, mint, and red fruit.
Thoughts: The finish is the best part of this. It just blossoms with flavors when you swallow. Of course, that doesn't mean that the rest is bad—quite the contrary. The nose and mouth are very good. It's just that the finish is even better. It is spicy with lots of wood notes. I like this one a lot.
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